Ha me-link



8 (No Model.)

M. E. LASHER.

HAMELINK. No. 382,883. PatentedMaJy 15, 1888.

WITNESSES INVENTOR d1 ttorney N. PETERS. mwmmn her, wmin m, n. c.

UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

MORGAN E. LASHER, OF GHAMPAIGN, ILLINOIS.

HAME=L|NK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 382,883, dated May 15, 1888.

Application tiled September 29, 1887. Serial No. 251,025.

To all whom it may concern..-

Be it known that I, MORGAN E. LASHER, of Ghampaign, in the county of Ohampaign and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Hame-Links; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form part of this specification, in which- Figure 1 represents a front view of my improved link uniting the lower ends of a pair of hames. Fig. 2 is a View of the same detached and its closing end spread open, such being the appearance of the link as put upon the market. Fig. 3 is a view of the link with the loop-dividing bar removed. 7

This invention relates to improvements in harness-links; and it has for its objects to provide an improved link for connecting the lower ends of the hames and also for the attachment of the pole-strap or choke strap, or both; and the invention consists in the novel construction of link and arrangement of parts hereinafter fully explained, and particularly specified in the claims.

In the drawings, A designates the link proper, which is composed of a main rod or bar, B, and a loop-rod, G. The bar Bis bowed somewhat, as shown, to accommodate it to the collar upon which the hames are placed, and the opposite ends of this bar are bent downward and inward, as shown at b b, forming complete semicircular bends. The end I) of the bar is made of greater extent than end b, for a purpose hereinafter shown. Both ends b b are preferably tapered off to permit their readier engaging in the eyes f f of the hames F F, as shown.

The loop-rod G of the link has its main portion lying parallel with but below the bar B, and similarly curved centrally thereto. However, the rod 0 is of less length than bar B, and its ends 0 c are bent upward and outward and unite with bar B at a point where the curve of ends I) b begins, so that the portions 0 c of rod 0 and the bends b b of bar B form almost continuous rings at the opposite ends of the link. The ends of rod 0 are widened at their junction with bar B, so that no angular (No model.)

corners are formed either on the interior of the loop or within the bends of the link. The bar B and rod 0 are made integral, either of wroughtor cast malleable metal, so as to guard against the danger of the looprod 0 being broken away from bar B when the link is in use.

In applying thelink to the hames FF, I first pass the elongated end of bend I) of bar B through the eyefof one hame, and then bend end I) down against theadjoining part c of rod 0, securely but flexibly jointing the link to one hame, as shown. The opposite end, I), of the link can be hooked into the eye of the re maining hameto secure the hames in position upon the collar.

The peculiar bend of end I) and the adjoining end a of rod 0 prevents any casual unhooking of the link and hame. It will be observed that the end I) of the link is bent so much inward that the space between its point and the adjoining edge of bend a of rod G is of less extent than the diameter of the open ring formed by said bends b and o. Consequently to hook this end into the eye of the hame it is necessary to depress the opposite end of the link somewhat in order to readily engagethe eye of the hame in bend b.

D designatesametal ring hung in the loop of the link, as shown. This ring may be forged around theloop-bar, or the link may be forged around the ring, as may be most convenient. To produce a cheaper link and ring,I first maketheringsseparately. Then,wl1en preparing to cast the links, I put a core-print of the ring on the link-pattern, and after drawing out the pattern place the ready-made ring in the space of the core-print and cast the link around the same. My object is to so unite the ring and link that they cannotbe separated without breakage. This ring D is for the attachment of the pole strap or chain, the choke'strap of the harness being attached to the remaining horizontal portion of the looprod 0. i

In order to prevent chafing of the ring against the choke-strap or its unduly rubbing and abrading the link by too much play thereon, I purpose employing a division and re-enforce bar, E, as shown. This bar is set to divide the loop-space of thelink into two spaces ICC of equal or unequal extent, in one of which is retained the ring and in the other the chokestrap of the harness. The bar E also braces the centers of bar 13 and rod 0, as is evident. The said 'bar'E is formed integral with the other portions of the link, or properly secured v thereto in the manner and for the purpose de scribed.

It will be observed that my improved link can be readily and easily attached to the hames, and by closing bend bit cannot become entirely separated or detached from the hames. By reason of its parts being integral and the loop entirely closed it is not liable to become broken or any of its attached parts unloosed therefrom when in use. These are great ad vantages over the ordinary loops, in which the hook ends are not adapted to be bent around the eye of the hame, and the loop is made separately from and attached to the connect ing bar by riveting such, for instance, as that shown in Patent No. 277,290.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new is 1. The herein-described one-piece hamelink, comprising a top bar having a central depending loop formed therewith and its ends extended on each side of said 100p and curved to engage the hanle-eyes, one of said ends being adapted to close against the loop around oneof thehame-eyes, all substantially as specified.

2. The hereindescribed hanie -linl composed of an upper connectingbar having its ends bent, as described, one of which is elongated to permit its closing around the eye of the hame, and a lower loop-rod having upturned ends lying just within the bent ends of the connecting-bar and formed integral therewith, in combination with a ring secured in the loop of the link, all substantially as set forth.

3. The hame-link having a central loop and curved hooked ends outside this loop, and a central division-bar dividing the loop-space, all substantially as described.

4. The hame-link consisting of an upper bar having its ends bent to engage the hameeyes, a loop-rod formed integral with said bar, a division-bar in said loop-space connecting the loop-rod with the upper bar, and a ring in one of the spaces of said loop, substantially as specified.

5. The hame link for harness, consisting of an upper bar, B, having bent ends I) b, alooprod, 0, having bent ends a 0, formed integral with bar Aand widened at the junctions therewith, a re-enforce division-bar, E, connectingbar 13 and rod 0 centrally of the loop-space, and a solid ring, D, mounted on the loop-bar on one side of bar E, all constructed and arranged substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aliix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

MORGAN E. LASHER.

Vitncsses:

F. K. RoBEsoN, G. W. DAVIDSON. 

